Istanbul New Airport (IST) started operations on 29 October 2018. All of the passenger flights from/to Istanbul are currently served by Turkey’s newest and largest airport. As the airport is located about 50 km northwest of Sultanahmet, the heart of historic Istanbul, it’s useful to know how to get from Istanbul Airport to City Center.
There are few ways for getting into the city center from Istanbul Airport and all of them are described below.
Havaist Bus from Istanbul Airport
The airport bus service called Havaist is one of the best options for reaching the city center from the airport. Havaist bus is serving more than 60 different points of the city of Istanbul and Istanbul New Airport. All of Havaist buses are white and has air-con.
Operating hours: 04:00 – 01:00 daily, departing every 30 minutes
Price: 12-30 TL, depending on the distance
The most preferred destinations for tourists are Taksim Square and Sultanahmet. Bus ticket price for a trip from the airport to these central locations are:
- Bus fare from Istanbul Airport (IST) to Taksim Square - 18 TL
- Bus fare from Istanbul Airport (IST) to Sultanahmet - 18 TL
Important! If you want to travel by Havaist buses, you need to use Istanbulkart for payment. They don’t accept cash or credit card. Istanbulkart machines can be found at the departure point of Havaist buses at Istanbul Airport, so you can buy Istanbulkart and put money into it just before getting on the bus. You can use Istanbulkart for all public transportation within the city.
IETT Bus from Istanbul Airport
IETT bus is another bus company serving different routes between Istanbul New Airport and Istanbul City. All IETT buses are yellow and have air-con. IETT bus tickets are a bit cheaper than Havaist but a trip from the airport to the city center by IETT bus can take much more time as theses buses stop at many bus stops along the way.
Price: IETT bus fare for a trip from Istanbul Airport to the city center is 5.20 TL
IETT routes:
- H-1 Mahmutbey Metro - Istanbul Airport
- H-2 Mecidiyekoy - Istanbul Airport
- H-3 Halkali - Istanbul Airport
- H-4 Atatürk Airport - Istanbul Airport
- H-6 Masjid-i Selam / Arnavutkoy - Istanbul Airport
- H-7 Hacıosman / Sarıyer - Istanbul Airport departures
- H-8 Hacıosman / Sarıyer - Istanbul Airport
Taxi from Istanbul Airport to City
The quickest and easiest way to get to the city center from the airport is by taxi. However, in most cases it is the most expensive mean of transport as well. You will see many taxis once you get out from the airport and you should pick one that is in the line.
Taxi fare from Istanbul New Airport to the city center can be anywhere from 100 TL to 150 TL. As the fare is not fixed and will be calculated by a meter, depending on the distance, traffic conditions and the route, it can cost you much more than expected.
The maximum number of passengers in an Istanbul taxi is 4.
There are 3 different colored taxi services at Istanbul Airport - yellow, light blue and black taxis:
- Yellow taxis are the cheapest and the trip from Istanbul Airport to the city center should cost you around 140 TL for Taksim and 150 TL for Sultanahmet.
- Light blue taxis are about 15% more expensive than yellow taxis.
- Black taxis cost 2 times more than yellow taxis.
Another concern is that not all Istanbul taxis are honest, especially in touristic areas. Sometimes they see tourists as an easy way to make more money and might try to overcharge you, so insist to go by the meter.
Istanbul Airport Private Transfer
If you come in a group or with a family, the most comfortable and convenient way for getting from Istanbul Airport to the city center is by a private airport transfer that can be booked in advance. The driver will be waiting for you at the exit of your terminal and will bring you directly to your hotel. Private transfer is more reliable than taxi at Istanbul Airport. Private airport transfer can be booked here: Istanbul Airport Transfers.
Metro from Istanbul Airport
The metro service is still not available at Istanbul New Airport as it is currently under construction and shouldn’t be available until 2020. The M11 metro line will run from the airport via İhsaniye, Işıklar Otogar, Göktürk, Kemerburgaz and Kağıthane to metro station Gayrettepe in the district of Şişli. Gayrettepe is a station in Beşiktaş area from where you can transfer to M2 metro line and travel all the way to the city center.
Train from Istanbul Airport
In the future, Istanbul Airport will have a fast railway connection (HST – High Speed Train) via the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, allowing passenger to travel quickly between the European and Asian part of Turkey. The railway will provide a direct connection by public transportation between Istanbul New Airport and Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen Airport. This prestigious project is known as the Northern Marmara Highway.